Nagpur: The state-level expert committee on rehabilitation of captured tigers and abandoned cubs, constituted by the PCCF (wildlife), has recommended that the problem male tiger (C-1) captured from
Sindewahi range not be released.
The two-year-old male is one of the three cubs of tigress BRM-T9. From the images of the tiger near incident spots, Bramhapuri forest officials concluded C-1 killed two villagers.
On this basis, chief wildlife warden AK Misra issued capture orders and the big cat was snared on July 1. It has been confined at Chandrapur transit treatment centre since then.
According to sources, to decide the fate of the tiger, 5 of the 7 committee members met under APCCF for wildlife (Nagpur-East) Sunil Limaye on Friday and after marathon discussions concluded that the tiger should not be released.
Those who attended the meeting included state wildlife board member Kishor Rithe, retired wildlife veterinarian Dr AD Kholkute, retired DFO GK Vashishtha, DFO Uttam Sawant, Chandrapur CCF Vijay Shelke and Bramhapuri DyCF Kulraj Singh.
“Our past experiences of re-releasing captured problem tigers from Bramhapuri have not been good. A tigress released in Navegaon National Park was lynched in October 2011 on the Chhattisgarh border after it created problems by killing cattle and attacking humans,” said Limaye.
Limaye said the latest case was of Halda tigress, again from Bramhapuri. The tigress (T27-C1) was captured on July 10 for killing two humans. After its re-release in Bor Tiger Reserve on July 29, the big cat did not settle and killed two more persons after it moved out of the reserve.
“We had also identified some places for releasing the tiger but this is monsoon season. Even if C-1 is released, monitoring will be difficult during rains and it will create problems,” said Limaye.
Hence, sources said the committee has recommended to the PCCF (wildlife) that C-1 should not be released. With this, Bramhapuri division has lost two tigers in six days. A young tigress was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Mendki on July 5 and C-1 will have to live a caged life now.
Pic for representational purpose